Sears has established a pattern with providing me (and I’m sure other Veterans, as well) with conflicting, incorrect information regarding Military Veterans receiving a 20% discount for tool purchases placed online at Sears.com and I am absolutely sick of it!

Further more, I have proof of this inconsistency and am providing it here on this open forum for any and all Military Veterans to see how Sears will treat them, as well. I would strongly suggest for any and all Military Veterans to look elsewhere for retailers that have a 1000% clear, concise, established and all-hands understood Military Veteran discount policy. Sears is NOT the same store that our fathers and grandfathers shopped at for their trusted tools. Buyer Beware!!

On May 18, 2016, I placed an online order inside a local Sears store for a woodworking tool in which a manager in the tool department verified my valid military veteran identification card. The order number was #979399686. The “seller” of this tool was Woodcraft Supply, which is a “3rd Party Seller” for that particular woodworking tool who sells it on Sears.com.

Long story short, during the process of and after me completing the purchase inside the store, I spent the next several hours that evening and carried over into the following morning for another several hours on the phone with managers of Sears Member Services department who handle online purchase issues. Their telephone number is (800) 366-3028.

Initially, I was advised by a Sears Member Services manager that a manager inside the store could adjust the price and provide me with the military discount. The store tool department’s manager (store #1853) did make an attempt while I stood there. Ultimately, he advised me that this is a very common issue and that Sears Corporate Office is and has been very much aware of this, but that he was unable to complete the discount because my purchase was from a “3rd Party Seller” and that his computer system inside the store wouldn’t allow it. However, he suggested that if the tool were sold by Sears on Sears.com, that the computer system would allow him to make the adjustment

This fish was beginning to stink a little, however I made the purchase anyways.

So, as previous mentioned I spent the next several hours that evening that carried into the following morning on the phone with a couple of different managers of the Sears Member Services department that handles online purchase issues and after being told that my military discount could not be applied to items sold on Sears.com by a “3rd Party Seller,” I’d had enough and ultimately ended up advising them that I wanted to cancel my order.

My argument was simply that Sears offers a 20% discount to Military Veterans for tool purchases - period. This can be referenced and/or verified at several websites, such as: www.military.com, or even better yet, on Sear’s own website: http://sears.intelliresponse.com/index.jsp or https://community.sears.com/Discussions/Single_question_detail/All/Allquestions/Military-discount The simple fact that Sears (on their own proprietary website) sells a tool from a “3rd Party Seller” is not my problem as the veteran. I ultimately purchased a tool that was sold by Sears on their website - period. What’s even more amazing is that – to date – no one from Sears has EVER provided me (and I’m willing to bet any other Veteran) this apparent Military Discount “exception” policy.

Interestingly enough, on May 21, 2016 at 10:56 AM, I received an email from Pam M of the Sears Customer Services who advised me of the following (which has been copied and pasted into this forum):

Dear Morgan,

Thank you for your order with sears.com! I sincerely apologize you were provided with incorrect information in regard to our Military discount.

In regard to Order 979399686, a credit in the amount of $140.60 was issued to your account today. This credit was issued because you were provided with incorrect information in regards to our Military discount.

This credit should be viewable by your financial institution within 72 hours. If you have any questions, please contact your financial institution after that period to verify receipt of the credit to your account. Please note, your financial institution may have processing guidelines for posting credits that may impact the time it takes for the credit to be reflected in your balance.

Thank you,

Pam M

Sears Member Services

….. and several days later, my account reflected the refund of the aforementioned $140.60. Then, on May 23, 2016, at 8:29 PM, I received a second email from Kimble of the Sears Customer Services who advised me of the following (which has been copied and pasted into this forum):

Dear Morgan,

Thank you for shopping at Sears.com!

We are following up on your inquiry regarding Order # ~979399686. As per our records, we see that you had requested for order cancellation since the military discount wasn't applied. Now we see that the discount has been applied. If your inquiry was resolved then no response is necessary, otherwise please let us know if you still want to return the items to assist you further.

If you have any comments or questions, please chat with us now for assistance.

Thank you,

Kimble

Sears Member Services

1-800-366-3028

I found that this seemed quite interesting given the fact that I was going to cancel my order, but then miraculously my 20% military discount was applied. So, I decided it might be in my best interest to keep this email to use as a reference for any future online purchases at Sears.com.

On October 12, 2016 at 4:12 PM, I called Sears Member Services at (800) 366-3028 and spoke with Dylan (Badge# 26617), who assisted me with placing an order for a tool that I wanted to purchase on Sears.com. The order number was #99062340. The “seller” of this tool was Grizzly Industrial, Inc., which is (once again) a “3rd Party Seller” for that particular tool who sells it on Sears.com. During the transaction, Dylan advised me that (once again) a military discount could not be applied to an item sold on Sears.com by a “3rd Party Seller.” I then advised and provided Dylan with the details of my previous order in May 2016 and respectfully suggested that he essentially verify this in my account history on his computer system, which he did.

After reading through the history, Dylan then suggested to me that once the order was completed, he would have to submit a request to the Customer Member Services online purchase back office for approval of my military discount adjustment which should take approximately 24-48 hours to go through. Dylan indicated that he would be attaching the following to the submitted request:

1.) My previous order number (#979399686) from May 2016 which established that I made a purchase on Sears.com inside a local Sears store (#1853) from a “3rd Party Seller” after a Sears store manager confirmed my valid military veteran identification card.

2.) The email reply on May 21, 2016, from Sears Member Services manager Pam M indicating that my military discount had been previously applied after the fact.

On October 15, I called Sears Member Services at (800) 366-3028 and spoke with a manager inquiring about the status of my military discount being adjusted and refunded to me for order #99062340. I can’t remember the name of the lady that I spoke with, however during our conversation she reassured me that our conversation was being recorded.

Over the course of the next approximate 45 minutes, she indicated that my request was denied because I was not authorized a military discount for purchasing a “3rd Party Seller” tool at Sears.com. She further suggested an extremely confusing explanation that regarding the first referenced order in May 2016 that, essentially my military discount was adjusted after I had received incorrect information and that I was not always guaranteed a military discount on purchases. I expressed that this in no way made any kind of sense, because if that were the case, then why would my military discount adjustment be authorized after the fact regarding my May 2016 order.

I don’t doubt and would certainly like to think that Sears will do everything in its power to make this incident right and once again provide me with a military discount adjustment. But, that’s not the true underlying issue! Whomever on the Sears management team that reads this and acts on it, do the right thing and figure out how to make sure the Military Discount policy is clear, concise, established and understood by EVERY single Sears team member. Additionally and more importantly, make the necessary technical computer corrections for verified Military Discount adjustments to be made at the lowest level – which is the Sears check-out cashier team member.

Reviewer is in unhappy mood. This person stated that there is a room for improvement of military discount inconsistency. Please immediately contact the author of this review to discuss order processing issue of sears customer care and associated monetary loss in the amount of $60. Sears needs to "provide me with my military discount adjustment" according to poster's claims.

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